Hi glangford,

I relayed your reply (above) to CR and received the following reply:

Hope this helps.

 

My next car and MINI will be coming in 2012

 

I've ordered my CR/W MCS, received my production # yesterday, and am preparing to sit tight and await its arrival.

The number of hours I've spent reading up on and researching the new Mini in the past five months is staggering. I view the culmination of these past few months as being Gabe's latest review of the 2007 MC and MCS after his trip to Phoenix for the US press launch. It reinforces everything I was optimistic about regarding the R56.

Until the last 24 hours, I had yet to be this excited about buying my Mini S.

Here's Gabe's review: http://motoringfile.com/2007/02/07/m...the-2007-mini/

 

R56 for me. Of course I don't have an R53 either
If somebody figures out a way to put the burble back, I will get an R57 when my R52 dies (did I get all the #'s right )

 

I can't wait to test drive the new model!

 

Absolutely. I love the R56. I think it's a better car in every way than the R53.

Will I rush out and trade my '06 mcs? no. I still love my current car.

But, I dont understand all the negativity directed at this new car from current MINI owners. Most of whom have NOT driven this car. To me, it looks a bit more modern, but the overall spirit of the car was untouched. I guess people just dont want a higher quality interior and a stronger engine? Well I do.

I hope they fix the visibility issue in the new convertible. I might consider that next time.

 

My current car is decrepit and I've been looking out my window for a long time at options. I always loved the Mini, cutest thing to grace a rear view mirror in a long time. I got a copy of Kilplingers 2007 with auto reviews and scanned down the MPG column and was very intrigued at the good numbers. Then I started reading reviews and was very impressed. More MPG, more HP, and a redesigned fuel intake system to give smoother power transition at lower RPM.

Then I learned it was made by BMW. Jeez, I didn't even know that. Before my current sad sedan, I owned a 1969 2002. Drove it into the ground and absolutely loved it (of course). This was like getting it again, all brand new, 1000% improved.

Are you kidding? I couldn't wait. I ordered mine, and pick it up in about 5 weeks, laser blue, white stripes, sport pkg, and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. I know that, sight unseen.

EENYMINI

 

Congrats on your order EENY!!!
Enjoy your time waiting --- try to get things done because once you get it you will not want to get out of it, from what I hear!
Have you ordered a MC or MCS, auto or Manual what interior?
Jim

 

I have been following the discussions over at www.mini2.com at early European R56 adopters seem to be having some teething quality problems...noisy transmissions that require clutch/flywheel replacements (Parts take forever to get to their dealerships and they are in the UK!!), ratlles and some other problems that seem typical of first year production autos.

I personally, love my ultra reliable and solid '05 MCS. I find the R56 intriguing but I can not bring myself to sell a rock solid reliable car (With 2 years still left on the warranty, I might add)and get into a new car from the ground up with unknown reliability and possible quality problems. I bought a first year 2002 MC CVT and while the car has been great (We still have it) we had teething issues with the ECU software programming. it took MINI a year to fix them. Don't care to do beta testing for them ever again.

In my experience of owning 3 MINIs (1 MC and 2 MCS) MINI seems to get the quality control really tight by the time that car enters its 3rd to 4th year of production..... So that means that I will likely be looking at the R56 or R55 Clubman around 2009-2010 time period when these cars will be much better than the version 1.0 2007 models. I can't wait for the 50th anniversary 2009 R56 MCS. That will be the car to get!

But... I really appreciate that some of you guys will embark in the task of doing all the quality control beta testing for me. That will ensure a very solid 2009 or 2010 MINI R56/55 in my driveway!

 

designerMINI (Jim),

Thanks! I order an 07 MCS, laser blue with white stripes, sport pkg, manual shift, multifxn leather steering wheel, std interior but with chrome line (wife loved the chrome stick shift in 06 we test drove), and 10-spkr stereo. Fairly basic, relatively. My wife was hesitant about the stripes, but they make me smile, like watching a young precocious girl sing loudly in a silly voice. Will buy additionsl later, like chrome cap for rear view mirrir, roof racks for my bikes and hookup for my iPod.

Reading these boards is a godsend, since as you guessed I'm totally preoccupied, as I'm sure you are too.

Have you posted your specs? If so pls share the URL.

EENYMINI

 

Perhaps MINI / BMW should make sure the majority of the quality control & part availability issues for the R56 are resolved before rolling out multiple new variants. In a global Internet economy, happy satisfied customers will encourage more new MINI customers. "Word-of-mouth" advertising is the best form of advertising that money can't buy.

 

Nothing controversial to put in here, just thought I'd add my comments -

My girlfriend will be picking up her R56 (probably the first sold in Utah) next week and we're WAY excited to be a two MINI familiy (I've an '06 convertible). We're also way excited to compare the two cars side by side. I work in IT and am VERY aware of the first year spent working out the bugs on a product (by the way - don't rush out to get Microsoft's Windows Vista - in most cases you don't need it AND will need to upgrade your hardware to be happy with it). We're not anticipating anything half as bad with the R56 as you get with Windows.

~L'aura

 

For those who are interested, see link to thread:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=93835